Measurement techniques, such as data mining software and email embedded programs, can be used to determine the success of viral marketing campaigns and measure other forms of online word-of-mouth. These measurement techniques provide an unprecedented level of access to person-to-person communication and are comparably inexpensive to other research methods (Godes and Mayzlin, 2004, p.25).
Contents |
Email embedded software can be used to track the success of a viral email campaign. Campaigner is an example of an email embedded program. It is used to gather information regarding:
Other viral campaigns are spread through the use of weblogs and message boards. These blogs and message boards are publicly accessible texts, and can be easily perused by computers. Measuring the success of a viral campaign, or measuring online word-of-mouth, is calculated based on the amount of ‘chatter’ or ‘buzz’ present (Godes and Mayzlin, 2004, p.6). Further insight can be gained, by using Natural Language Processing to determine if the chatter is negative or positive, however this is more expensive (Godes and Mayzlin, 2004, p.6).
Umbria Communications and BuzzMetrics are two companies that currently gather and analyse online chatter.
Umbria’s Buzz Report, analyses content from 16 million blogs, message boards, opinion sites and other public forums (Umbria Inc., 2005). By analysing the language used in posts, the software estimates the demographic information of the author, including their age and gender, and maybe even their ethnicity (Morrissey, 2005). The BuzzMetrics’ Discussion Miner works in much the same way. The software scours blogs, community websites, listservs and Usenet newsgroups and, according to the company website, is able to "track particular users over time" (BuzzMetrics, 2005).
As in-depth information or case studies were not available, the accuracy of the software to correctly analyse posts and determine demographic information could not be established. The absence of detailed information is probably explained by the fact that the industry has only recently emerged (Umbria was only established in March 2004 (Morrissey, 2005)), and due to the competitive nature of the industry.
Unlike traditional market research, embedded software and data mining do not require consumers to give approval for the use of their data and comments. These technologies may especially cause concern for consumers who considered blogs to be personal online diaries, and use message boards to provide personal comments. As Godes and Mayzlin (2004, p.26) point out, participation of consumers in online communities is "undoubtedly made without the consideration that firms may be observing these conversations and drawing inferences from them".
Some ‘bloggers’ who have discovered the use of these measurement techniques have been using their blogs to discuss the topic. One such blog, called Pop Occulture Blog (2005), contains posts which describe this technology as ‘amazing’ and ‘fascinating’, as well as questionable. Jonathan Carson, president and CEO of BuzzMetrics, also took part in the blog. He argues that the company is helping marketers engage in conversation-based relationships with customers, by helping them listen to consumers more effectively (Pop Occulture Blog, 2005).
Brenton Doyle 19:41, 27 Oct 2005 (EST)
Back to Viral Marketing
